ROME - SEVENTEEN Algerians and Tunisians were arrested across Europe yesterday in an anti-terrorist operation led by the Italian authorities, who said they had 'decapitated' a pan-European network recruiting suicide bombers.

The 'very important operation has decapitated a jihadist network that operates across Europe...with the aim of preparing men to send to the Iraqi and Afghan theatres', Interior Minister Giuliano Amato told a news conference in Rome.

'Looking at the places involved, it is clear that there's a terrorist network that knows no boundaries and that operates clandestinely in many countries,' he added.

Police said they seized poisons and long-distance ignition devices for explosives, and manuals on guerilla warfare.

The suspects are also accused of illegal immigration and falsifying identity documents.

These helped them to travel secretly from one European country to another, and to hide people sought for terrorist activity, the police said.

The leaders of the group were named in the arrest warrants as Dridi Sabri, Mehidi Ben Nasr and Imed Ben Zarkaoui, all of whom operated out of Italy, the Italian news agency Ansa reported.

'The cells were not planning attacks in Italy but were indoctrinating and recruiting people to send to places where terrorist attacks are an everyday activity,' Mr Giampaolo Ganzer of the Milan anti-terrorism police told a news conference.

Two suspects were arrested in Britain, and others were being held in France, officials said.

Ali Ben Zidane Chehidi, 34, was arrested in Croydon in south-east England and Mohamed Salah Ben Hamadi Khemiri, 53, was arrested in Manchester by officers from the Metropolitan Police extradition unit.

'The two men were arrested on behalf of the Italian authorities under an extradition warrant in relation to allegations that between 2003 and 2005 they forged documents to facilitate the illegal entry into Italy of recruited volunteers to fight jihad in Iraq and Afghanistan,' British police said.

A French police source confirmed that the DST domestic intelligence service had been involved in a broader European operation linked to the arrests in Italy.

The investigation stemmed from the break-up in 2002 of a radical Islamist cell based in Italy with connections in France, Ansa said.

A report in August warned that Italy faces 'heightened risks' of attack and an influx of Muslim radicals, and cited 60 threats in the first half of this year.

Italy saw a 'rise in Islamic meeting places which, even if they are primarily organised and frequented by law-abiding people, remain potentially exposed to infiltration by radicals', the report said.

It highlighted 'networks of North African origin' while stating that 'interactions or contacts with other radical milieux from the Balkans, the Middle East or Central Asia' were also possible.

An Iraqi said to be close to Al-Qaeda was arrested at Venice airport in September on suspicion of belonging to a group blamed for several kidnappings and attacks in Iraq.

Hussien Saber Fadhil was allegedly planning to go to Iraq to carry out attacks using aircraft to be purchased from an Italian firm.

In July, Italian police arrested three Moroccans they suspected of running a 'terrorist school' at a mosque, using it to recruit and train militants for attacks abroad.

On that occasion materials seized included instructions on handling poisons, explosives and on how to fly a Boeing 747.

Police said there were also 'instructions aimed at aspiring mujahideen to get safely to conflict zones'.

Last month, Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed, or 'Mohammed the Egyptian', one of the men originally accused of masterminding the 2004 Madrid train bombings was arrested and jailed in Italy. He was acquitted of any direct involvement.

REUTERS,

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

TRAINING FOR ATTACKS OUTSIDE ITALY

'The cells were not planning attacks in Italy but were indoctrinating and recruiting people to send to places where terrorist attacks are an everyday activity.'
MR GIAMPAOLO GANZER of the Milan anti-terrorism police